The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-10-15

A GANG OF VIGILANTES WHO USE
THE WHIP FREELY.
The Story of Their Brutality as Told
by a Victim-They Woke Up the
Wrong Person Once.
From Me New York Times.


spondent's interrogation. The corresp-
dent had heard of several recent outras,
and had gone there on his recent to, OF
investigation. The name of the indiyual
referred to is Joel Wright and he livon
small place in a little hamlet called Saker-
vile, about eight miles east of C'ydon.
His property consists of land, trough
which runs huge ledge of rock. he story
of his troubles with the "White Cs'' Is best
told in his own language:
II am poor man and live he with my
wife and brother-in-law, Ike Am. J. was
always sort of weakly and nef able to
work much, and people SAID As lazy, but
tell you the truth, l wantyo work as
much as anyone, but 1 can't I'm a sick
man Last Wednesday night was laying
here in bed a-sleeping, list ahice as any
one would want to, when 5mething got
hold of my throat. l was alut half awake
by that time and | lollered out;
MY -! Mirandy! meaning my
wife, Werner's do has got
me- saw it was a matan | hauled off
an knocked him over fainst lke's bed.
Then two more of 'em GRABBED me, an tit
till they tied me. Then my life she screamed,
an was bad skeered. Tb children cried,
100, ana DcGEBu Gil uOJ tlttl lllC.
were seven of the men, Il | counted 'em.
One of 'em had lantern They were dressed
in common clothes, but ech had handker-
chief tied across his moui and nose, an his
hat was pulled down so could jist see.
Seem / couldn't do rthin', l went with
them to woods nea here, where they
stripped off my shirt a tied me to a sap
lin. Then one man id: Joel, there's
been lots of stealin' gin on bout here,
and while we don't say pu did it, you're
sort of no count felloT and don't provide
for yer family. We're DIM to whip you,
an if you don't hum yourself an go to
work wen come back ad give you another
beatin.' This skeered me, but I'm not a
nervous man, and [ kpw'd l hadn't done
no wrong, so l just aid, kinder pleasant
like: Gentlemen, if I've done anything
wrong want to hangor it. "
"That kind of bluff wouldn't work,
though, would it, Joer said his wife, who
had come out and stod near by, with
smile on her face, whe Joel related his ex-
perience.
"As | was sayin', "sontinued Joel, who is
a great talker and evidently slightly proud
on account of the SUDDEN prominence he has
secured by his "Wlite Cap" experience,
Zone of 'em cut Saplin' an hit me seven
or eight times whit on my bare back. 1t
hurt like blazes, and when | hollered SO
much they stoppedan' run over to their
horses, which theYgot on an rid away. Joe
Browns boy saw BIN right afterward over
there near the cut My little girl came over
an cut me loose. / amt over it yet; they
hurt me pretty bad"
During the past weekno less than twenty
men have been taken olt in different parts
of the county and whipped by the white
capped vigilantes O5er in Spencer town
ship, last week, probably two of the most
sensational cases tooB place. Aaron Bitner,
a wealthy farmer oEer 30 years old, and
Squire John Hilde1brand were taken out
and whipped until 6hey were nearly dead.
They live in a snSl settlement on Big In
dian creek. At that place the reporter was
unable to see the principals, as they were
both in bed and their families would not
talk about the occurrence. From talka-
tive neighbor, however, the following par
ticulars were learned:
Bitner was a wi1ower, and about four
months ago he married a widow with one
son about years of age. From the begin
ming, it is said, Bltner had no affection for
the boy and was continually abusing him.
The young fellow was pretty wild, and after
getting into several scrapes was, it is
alleged, numerically whipped by his step
father. A week ago the boy got into
trouble again ami the story is that Bitner
took him out to a shed to punish him. The
reporters informant said that fifteen min
utes afterward the boys mother became
alarmed and went out to see how the pun
ishment was progressing To her horror
she beheld her son hanging from rafter
with a clothesline around his neck.
Near by stood her husband with fiendish
look upon his face. The mother
screamed for help, which soon arrived, and
after much difficulty the half dead boy was
restored to life, but he had a narrow escape,
and even now is very i'll from the effects OF
his terrible experience. The story of the
alleged brutal outrage was soon nolsed
about and on Monday about twenty masked
men rode into town and, taking Bitner, gave
him the whipping he so richly deserved.
Esquire Hilderbrand threatened to kill his
wife and daughter, and otherwise behaved
very unbecomingly. He was logged on the
same night, and probably earned his pun
ishment, for he was fined and put under
bond before Esquire Slaughter on Friday
for abusing his family.
Mott Station is just now enjoying little
sensation of almost a similar character.
Mott is very appropriate name for the
place, for there are as motley a crowd of
people there as one would be able to find
anywhere on the face Of the globe. On
Thursday morning early risers found near
the railway station the following expressive
note tackled upon post:
NOTICE.--Phil Zeiner, Harvey Emily, John
Long, and Robert Mott, the whisky ring, had
better quit the way they are adding. II they
dont they will be taken out and whipped. Bob
Mott had better leave the county.
WHITE Cars.
There was great excitement among the
men, and Mott Immediately sold out and
lett. The others, however, are doing better.
On last Saturday night the White Caps"
woke up the wrong man, and although they
nearly killed him, some of them will be sick
Tor many days to come. Fielding Berry Is
farmer pretty we'll advanced in years,
with powerful physique, and lives ON Blue
hlver, near Midtown. Hearing OF his
whipping, the reporter rode out yesterday
to see him. Arriving at the house, neat
ttWo-story frame, the reporter walked up to
tne porch and past two feroclous
dogs, which growled ominously. AT
the door a middle-aged woman ans
wered the summons, and invited the
reporter into a very nice sitting room. de
soon made known the object OF his visit to
tlle woman, who was not at all averse to
relating the circumstances. Fielding and
myself" she said, "were sitting right here
about o'clock, when some one knocked at
the door Fielding got up and opened 1t;
AS he did so two men grabbed him ana
pulled him out into the yard, when about
eight men, all masked, surrounded him.
Iney were just getting ready to tie nm
when my husband picked up piece OF PLANK
ana knocked three or four of them down.
tie kept up striking at them, and finally.
made them all run. One of them stopped
II In al.a 10 n